ABOUT US

Andrew Jackson has pursued a long career in communications, as Director of Operations (publisher) at Vermont Life Magazine where he was responsible for circulation, fulfillment, advertising, marketing, ancillary products and the website; as Circulation Director at Progressive Builder (now Custom Builder); as a circulation manager with McGraw-Hill’s BYTE Magazine; as Director of Marketing for a book catalog, and as a public relations photographer and copywriter.

We serve smaller, independent, special-interest magazines exclusively. We are not a one-size-fits-all consultancy and will never try to apply a mass-market magazine strategy to a small, niche publication or big-city marketing to a mainly rural audience. We start by gaining an understanding of the on-the-ground realities that you know best, and work closely with you to develop strategies that are sensible for your situation.

An opening discussion is always free, allowing both the client and me to judge if my services fit well with the your needs. If not, or if some element of your need falls outside my area of expertise, for example newsstand distribution, I will attempt to recommend other resources or experts I know to be reliable.

As our name implies, we take an intensely practical approach to strategic planning. Smaller publishers seldom enjoy unlimited budgets and our approach to publishing is aimed at getting maximum return for the publisher’s investment. We have worked “in the trenches” for smaller, special-interest magazines and know many ways to produce high-quality results on a limited budget. Your bottom line is always a primary concern as we work with you.

In this time of great uncertainty about the future of magazines, particularly for niche and enthusiast publications, we believe the ink-on-paper magazine is and will remain the core product. Digital editions, websites, social media, consumer shows, e-newsletters, ancillary products and more will contribute to the business, but the printed magazine, with it’s loyal subscribers and reputation for independent and credible information—in short, your brand—remains at the center of the publishing enterprise.

We believe it is your editorial product that is ultimately responsible for attracting and retaining readers. Quality information, attractively and engagingly presented, that fills a need for your readers is the key to circulation and advertising success. Readership—both in quantity and quality—is what your advertisers are buying. Loyal and involved readers who look forward to each issue are much more responsive to your advertisers. Of course you need effective circulation promotions as well. That is our specialty. But in so doing, we will always strive to help you maintain or increase the quality both of your magazine and your readership.

Although print magazines are still our core products, we publishers must broaden our horizons and see ourselves as information providers, delivering attractive and credible information through whatever medium and in whatever form our customers prefer. We will help you develop business models and technologies that build on your editorial credibility and brand as you expand into new media.